Only each other at the last
by mais3
Summary: A 6x9 fic about their live on mars. Shows a few flashbacks from Lake Victoria times too. Please R


_**Only each other at the last**_

_**Disclaimer: **shakes head now, now. You should know by now, that I don't own anything but my computer and my sick imagination._

_Rating: R because of cussing, violence and maybe future lemon._

_Yeah, you're probably thinking, "What's she doing, starting another fanfic? Damnit, she should at least finish this Escaflowne story." I know, I know, but what can I do, if my subconscious and muse ("thanks" to cumiculus01 by the way) tell me to write this 6x9 fic._

_So, do me a favour and don't bug me with this. It will come, when it comes._

_And now, on with the story._

_One warning: I'm known for writing fluffy stories (as fluffy as Sesshouma's tail), so **beware!**_

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The minutes trickled by as Noin tried to find a way out of her misery. The white opponent had her in an almost destructive position, though he was clearly outnumbered by her black army.

Then she saw it…a gap in the strategy…so inconspicuous that everybody, who didn't think in the same logical and combining way she did, would miss it.

'Zechs is really starting to get old. Either that, or he is toying with me.'

A brief glance at her dear friend's face told her, that the latter was the case.

A barely noticeable smirk tugged at the corner of Zech's mouth when Noin shot a playful glare at him. He was relieved to have the confirmation for still knowing how her mind worked. Besides, he had sworn to pay her back for their time at Lake Victoria. The silent promise to himself was made, when she had joined him in the battle against Mariemaias army after his year of absence and proved her undying loyalty and friendship to him.

Lake Victoria Academy…a time he would always think fondly of. Zechs had never approved the way how Noin had always worked to only be SECOND best. His heart however had told him not to interfere with her act of friendship, for the chance to pay her back would come soon enough. And this time had now approached.

Zechs smiled one of his rare smiles and wordlessly turned around to check on the auto-pilot. Satisfied that they were on a non stop course to Mars, he turned back only to be stared at by his best friend and partner. He folded his arms over his chest and leaned back in his seat, "What?" Noin barely shook her head, "Nothing." She got out of the trance like state she was in, since he had turned away and she had watched him from aside.

Getting up she yawned, "How long till we arrive?" "Another ten hours." Noin nodded and started to move to the back of the shuttle, "I'll take a shower." Zechs watched her mirror image in the window of the shuttle as she struggled out of the cumbersome environmental suit. He saw her flinch when she bent down to open the clasps on the suit's boots. Zechs got up and moved over to her, "Noin! Something wrong?"

Noin opened the locker to her left and put in the suit, "No, what should be wrong." 'Shit, he noticed.' She smiled at him, "Now, excuse me," desperate to evade his questions she quickly disappeared into the shuttle's bathroom, leaving a dumbfolded Zechs behind.

She closed the door and leaned onto it heavily. She placed her hands to the ribs a little below her heart. At least two broken and a few cracked. Until now, she had been able to hide her injury from Zechs. One of the MS in the last battle had hit her pretty badly and the restraints of her suit had broken a few of her ribs while fulfilling their duty.

Noin started to get out of her army pants and grey tank top and stepped into the shower, hoping that the hot water would take away some of the pain. 'I don't want Zechs to know that I'm hurt. He might think that I'm weak.'

In the main area Zechs was getting rid of his own environmental suit. He knew there was something fishy with Noin's fake cheerfulness. She never was a good liar anyway-especially not around him. He brushed the imaginary dust off his crimson shirt and army pants. After having put away the suit he sat on one of the bunks which were situated in a few recesses in the wall.

Zechs put his head in his hands and shoved the heels of his hands against his eyes sighing loudly.

Then, out of nowhere, a memory came to his mind.

flashback

Zechs and Noin were sitting in one of the seven choppers readying their weapons for battle.

It was the first time the two of them had been sent into free fire zones of enemy territory. Being the two top students they had gotten the "honour" of being able to participate this search- and- destroy operation.

The goal of the operation was, to gain control over one of the enemy's most important supply facilities.

Three of the helicopters raked an area with gunfire while infantry units were be flown into the battle area.

Moments before they landed, the supporting fire was lifted and the soldiers embarked from their helicopters with guns blazing.

While the enemy was distracted by this, the other choppers sent off specially trained teams that would try to get into the base and overtake it.

Zechs' and Noin's mission was, to hide a few kilometres down the road and ambush the last supply truck.

While waiting for the truck, Zechs installed a booby trap on the road that should cause a small explosion and damage it. Meanwhile, Noin guarded his back, waiting behind the bent.

Too bad, the road had been pretty solid. The were no stones to hide the trap under and Zechs had to cut weed off the trees to cover the trap.

After a while, Noin came running.

"Zechs!", she whispered urgently.

"I know", he whispered back.

"Hurry!"

"I know!"

"I mean it."

The enemy choose this moment to open the fire. The truck driver was holding a rifle out his window and shooting, while merely laughing at them.

Zechs got shot in his left foot while shoving Noin out of harm's way while shouting "run!", and went down out cold.

When he woke up, they were both tied up and on the loading space of the truck, being guarded by a rather dirty looking guy with a 9mm in hand.

He sat up and saw Noin leaning against a wooden box smiling at him weakly, "Hey."

"Noin", he gasped.

It wasn't the fact that she had been caught that made him instantly angry. Rather the state she was in:

She was a mess. Her face was dirty, her right cheek was swollen and her lower lip was bleeding badly. There was a good number of bruises and cuts along her arms and the spots were her pants and shirt were ripped.

Their guard got up and knelt next to Noin, "A pretty girl she is. Too bad we had to hurt her", he said in Zechs' direction, smirking like an idiot. "She put up a pretty good fight. Really thought she could save you", he spat. The Idiot had the nerve to grin at Noin. He gripped her chin in one of his dirty hands and tried to kiss her.

Zechs saw red, "Hands off her, you bastard!" He screamed and used his enemy's weak state to overtake him. Despite his leg blazing with pain, he jumped off the ground and kicked the guy's gut, hard. He fell back gasping for air. Zechs went after him and delivered another kick to his side and chest. After that, he kicked the guy's head against one of the many wooden boxes and spat on him.

Noin got up and moved over to him, "Zechs I know that you're pissed, but…"

She was cut off by Zechs, "No. I'm not pissed. You've seen me pissed. This is way, way beyond pissed though."

"How's your leg?" She asked concerned.

"It's fine", he almost snapped.

"If you say so." Noin knew that it was useless to ask further questions concerning his injury.

"Zechs, can you reach my left front pocket. There's gotta be a Zippo in there. It should help us to burn the ropes."

"Sure."

Zechs turned around and grabbed the first thing available- her thigh. He immediately blushed.

"No,…it's higher", Noin struggled, blushing herself. "I'm not that short.

After a bit of struggling they had managed to get off their ropes and Zechs had himself a new 9mm. He leaned over the loading space and shot the hind wheels, causing the truck to halt rather abruptly.

After knocking out the driver with a clean hit of his gun-butt, they pressed the distress button on their targeting chips and hoped for help.

Noin ripped off the sleeves of her shirt and despite Zechs mumbling that he was fine, she form a makeshift bandage for Zech's injury.

After this, they sat down a few metres beside their two (now tied up with a rope found in one of the smaller boxes) buddies.

"This guy… did he…did he kiss you before I woke up?" Zechs asked rather ashamed.

Noin blushed and shook her head no. "Thank god no. I wouldn't have wanted him to be the first man to kiss me."

Zechs' heart skipped a beat, "You've never been kissed?"

She blushed even more if this was possible and whispered, "No."

After a while of just sitting there and staring at nothing, Zechs spoke up, "Noin?"

"Yes?" She asked and looked at him.

Zechs turned and faced her, "Do you want…"

Then he lost the will to talk.

He cupped her face in one of his hands gently and with the other, carefully wiped the blood off her lower face and lip which had stopped bleeding by now.

Noin winced a bit.

"This will probably inflame if it stays dirty." He said with his voice full of concern.

Noin nodded in understanding.

"I know of something that could help. Should I try it?" He asked with a husky voice.

Noin could only nod again.

Her eyes closed when she felt his lips lightly touch hers. He sucked her lower lip into his mouth and caressed the tender flesh with his tongue, cleaning off the dirt. When he was finished, he didn't release her.

Zechs' eyes were at half mast while kissing her. He wanted to savour the feeling and see how she reacted to her first kiss.

After some time, Noin started to respond to his kiss and move her lips despite the stinging feeling of raw flesh. She was too lost in her bliss.

Zechs used the hand on her face to get her to open her mouth. When she did, he slowly inserted his tongue into her sweet mouth and started to caress her in every way he knew.

Noin was completely lost and didn't notice that she was clawing at Zechs' shirt, trying to get him to come closer. He smiled inwardly at how she moaned and blushed at the same time. Never in his life had he seen anything so beautiful.

Just when he was about to inch his hand under her shirt at her back, he heard the engines of at least three helicopters come their way.

He tore himself from her and upon seeing how confused she was, pointed to the sky.

they both got down from the loading space and waved the choppers over.

end flashback

Zechs smiled at the memory.

They had never talked about what had happened, save for the one time when they had to report what happened to their CO (of course leaving out the more…intimate details).

Explaining Zechs' gun wound was one thing, but explaining how they ended up in the middle of a fucking desert, 20 kilometres away from their original position was pretty complicated though.

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_What do you think? Fluffy enough?_

_Please tell me in your **reviews**! Feel free to send flames, they will be laughed at and will be used to warm up my cold room._

_Constructive criticism is always welcome._

_It will probably take some time to update this seeing as how I'm in my final year at Grammar School and taking my finals in March and June._

_have a nice day_

_Tequ!ni_


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